The closures include locations in major cities such as Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford, Brighton and Perth – you can see the full list of places below
River Island will close 33 stores next month as part of previously announced restructure.
The closures include locations in major cities such as Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford, Brighton and Perth. The stores will close by the end of January, with a full list of affected sites available below.
River Island has already closed some stores this year, including branches in Chesterfield, Corby and Omagh, Northern Ireland. These stores were separate to the January closures.
The fashion retailer will also reduce rents at another 71 shops as part of its proposals, which were approved by the High Court this summer.
River Island had 223 stores across the UK and Ireland at the time of its rescue plan being heard in court in August this year. The chain posted a £32.3million pre-tax loss last year and revealed turnover had slumped 15% to £578.1million.
River Island was founded in 1948 and brought in advisers earlier this year to oversee its restructure process. Matthew Weaver KC, for River Island, told the court hearing that the company “simply has not been able to reverse” a trend of financial difficulty.
He cited a decline in footfall and sales due to “the pressures of a highly competitive and changing retail environment as well as the prevailing trend away from high street retail stores to online shopping”.
Ben Lewis, chief executive of River Island, said in a statement earlier this year: “River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street.
“However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers’ needs.
“The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden. We have a clear strategy to transform the business to ensure its long-term viability.
“Recent improvements in our fashion offer and in-store shopping experience are already showing very positive results, but it is only with a restructuring plan that we will be able to see this strategy through and secure River Island’s future as a profitable retail business.
“We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum.”
Full list of River Island stores closing in January 2026
- Beckton
- Bangor Bloomfield
- Wrexham
- Edinburgh Princes Street
- Hereford
- Surrey Quays
- Didcot
- Sutton Coldfield
- Aylesbury
- Burton-Upon-Trent
- Northwich
- Taunton
- Workington
- Falkirk
- Cumbernauld
- Kirkcaldy
- Gloucester
- Hartlepool
- Brighton
- Lisburn
- Norwich
- Oxford
- Poole
- Kilmarnock
- Hanley
- Barnstaple
- Grimsby
- Leeds Birstall Park
- Rochdale
- Great Yarmouth
- St Helens
- Stockton On Tees
- Perth
